Wichita eagle., 1887-12-25


The London costermonger generally
wears fixed kind Of dress. His hat is
always a black derby rusty from rain and
weather. His coat is generally a rusty
black frock. He rarely wears a waistcoat.
His trousers may be corduroy or any kind
OF the cheaper WOODEN patterns. His shoes
are thick sOlcd and hobnailed. He always
wears Il cOlOred handkerchief tied around
his neck in place Of . collar. These hand
kerchefs are always dirty. except upon
rare sunday and holiday occasions, when
new ties are d0uned. These haudkerchiefs
are always Of a fancifuI color, light blue
end red being the iavorites They are
worn hish ~ on the neck leaving n couple
Of inches Of dirty neck showing between
the handkerchief and the greasy collar Of
the stumbling frock coat. The handkcr-
chief $ really the baGge Of the order This
handkerchief about the &ack dcsignates
the character and standing Of man in
England IS completely and thoroughly as
j ne wore uniform prescribed by act IF
parliament The costermonrcrs are lncu
engaged IN street traffic ot all kinds. They
are generally dealers in vegetables. They
begin with push carts and if thCy are
prosperous and reach the climax of their
ambition they become tie owners Of small
TWO wheeled wagons, drawn by li;tlc don
Keys or ponies. The strength and endur-
ence al these small animals are phenune-
nal / have seen from six TO eight grown
people or cos:er0ongcr's cart being
Drawn al furious p22e Ly q pony not
much larger than Newfoundland dog.
The c0stermongcr never gives his pony
any resi-. he works him during the week
II his business and uses the wretched lit
tie animal Ga Sunday 10 give his friends q
treat IN the shape OF Il ride TO some cock
ney resort in the suburbs The costcr-
rongers live in the street. They are
never indoors except for eating and sleep
ing. 4 very severe, driving storm will
Sometimes force them INTO the house but
they generally take refuge under an avn
ing or some gateway. They are q hardy,
tough, coarse iibered people They are
noisy, and have perfect pa>yion for
seeG Is of Uproar and excitement You
rarely hear Of costermougcrs numbering
any of their associates or Of their using
knives or pistols in their quarrels. They
have a way of pounding and kicking
each other when engaged IN disputes, but
are rarely arrested, is they never seem to
carry malice, and their fights generally
end up in a good nnureI way. The
custernonger and his female are often
the chief actors in a street brawl. When
once costermOnger has begun to keep
company with a costcrmOnCor female
then she is considered his property she
speaks Of him rs her man and she is
spoken of as his gal "
It was Sunday morning. The two had
started ont evidently for a holiday He
was in his best He was sury. heavy
7awed fellow. with black eyes. short
nose and brawny, hairy fists. He wore
little black derby hat about three sizes too
small for his great. round head. His
handkerchief was the Hghtest of Sky
hlues. She was buxoin. burly. of medi-
um height dressed in true coStermonger
style. Their dispute grew out Of diff
ference of opinion rs to where they
should spend the day She insisted on
going one way and he ne other. They
disputed for half a moment and then he
turned around and deliberately gave her
kick which lifted her about six inches
from the sidewalk. TO convince her that
his way was the best. She turned quickly
and began kicking him in return The
way she brought her number ten boots
around against his shins very soon con
WINGED him that she was as strong ut that
kind of argument as he. They kicked at
center of a delighted and cheering crowd.
and then the costermoncer female by her
skill in kicking carried the day In It mo-
ment or two more he gave up, crinned
good naturedly and the two walked off
together for a happy Sabbath.
The way domestic braWls are carried on
in the streets of London cannot be
matched, ! am certain, in any other city
in the world The common people vino
walk the streets regard these QUarrels as
their OWL private theatrioaIs and sternly
resent any interference of the police. ~
2 general thing the police do not touch
HE braWlers unless they make too much
of a disturbance and block up the streets.
Che police then simply order them to
move on. and make arrests only where
the disturbing party resists. During my
stay in London | have seen more street
fights than had ever seen before in my
life The actors in these street fights or
domestic brawlS appear TO take great
bride in the parts which they are called
upon To play. They are stimulated by the
cheers and roars Of approval from the ali
cience and do their best to maintain their
reputation for courage. fcroCily and skill
il retort.
The women are especially eNCitable and
active in 2 street tlGht. The man gener-
ally looks sulky and shcePiSh when en-
gagged in fight with his female in public
But the women never give them q chance
20 back ont. They are much more vim
dictive and active than the men. After
the man has been kicked three or tour
,imo~ and has had his face scratched up
10 a proper state OF rawncss. he he
comes excited aad then strikes out
49,. .,T1 81.
man happens 70 be toe near. The women
are generally the ljctors in these street
Sights The fighting women generally
have babies in their arms. l have seen = /
Number of costermonEer yiragos bound
inE froln the ground ike hyenas, rushing /.
40 and down with great leaps, bowling
insults and euithets, then sweeping down F.
toward the hated object of their wrath I.
for blow or q kick, and when the man
strikes ont tic baby never seems to be re .
Carded As anything more than buffer. :
The CoStermOnCer female uses her baby
rs shield. The poor wretched baby IS .
generally philosopher and rarely. il ever, .
howlS or cries | have never heard
CestermOnCer baby even peep during the /
most exciting phases Of street fight.
although the mother may be bowling Ike (
a panther in her rage and excitement.
l. Is this class Of people that makes /
even the beStparts o. London disagreed !
BILE When their work l. done they crowd .
the streets and I'LL the pubhCs, drinking.
swearing and qUarrelEE. They wander
in great idle Sw0Tms mp and down the .
best streets. never turning To the right .
or leit for any one. do NOT know when /
they sleep. have never been ont so late
m hour that | have not found any num-